


Path to Peace

by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead



Series: Memento Mori [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 07:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6601834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead/pseuds/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ushijima and Sugawara were drawn together by a shared fascination with old legends and a desire for peace. <br/>They were driven apart by the separate paths they planned to walk to get to that peace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Path to Peace

A tap at Suga's window woke him up. He stood and made his way across the room. When he saw the large, familiar silhouette hovering outside, he grinned and threw open his window. 

"Wakatoshi, what are you doing here?" Suga asked without a hint of irritation, stepping back to let the Winter fae into his room. Ushijima smiled and dropped to the floor.

"Just wanted to see you," he answered. Suga laughed and hugged him tightly. 

"We just saw each other in the gardens this morning," Suga pointed out. Ushijima brushed a strand of silver hair out of Suga's eyes and smiled gently.

"That doesn't count. There were tons of other fae around," Ushijima replied. "And your friend Sawamura was there the whole time." Suga took Ushijima's hand and led him to the bed. 

"Daichi was trying to be friendly," Suga told him. Ushijima sat on the bed and pulled Suga onto his lap, wrapping his arms around Suga's waist. 

"We couldn't get a single moment alone," Ushijima replied. "I like your friends, Koushi, but I want to have some time just us, too." Suga hummed and settled snugly against Ushijima's chest, tucking his head under the larger fae's chin. 

"So you decided to sneak into my bedroom in the middle of the night and wake me up?" Suga teased. 

"I'll make it up to you," Ushijima promised immediately. Suga turned his head to nuzzle against his lover's neck. 

"Oh? And how are you going to do that?" he asked playfully. Ushijima's hand settled comfortably on Suga's hip and tugged him impossibly closer. 

"I have an idea or two you might like," Ushijima replied, amusement tinting his words. "But first, there's something I want to talk to you about." Suga frowned, concern flashing in his eyes as he straightened and looked up at Ushijima. "It's nothing bad, Koushi, I promise. I just heard a new version of the legend of the Fairy King today, and I want your opinion on it." Suga's concern vanished, replaced by interest. Ushijima knew the Spring fae loved legends almost as much as he loved the intricacies of Spring Court politics. 

"I haven't found a new version in  _ages_ ," Suga said excitedly. "How did you find one?"

"Lord Washijou said I should know the version that's told to the Lords when they receive their circlets, since I'm going to be his second in command," Ushijima told him. Suga blinked, then beamed and threw his arms around Ushijima's neck with such enthusiasm that Ushijima fell backwards. He chuckled as Suga situated himself on top of him and grinned down at him. 

"You didn't tell me you were chosen as the new second in command in Winter," Suga exclaimed, trying to pout, but smiling too hard for the expression to have much weight. 

"I'm telling you now," Ushijima replied, reaching up to gently pull Suga down so he was laying on Ushijima's chest. "Now, do you want to hear the differences in the new version of the legend?"

"Of course!" Suga answered, wiggling a bit, then propping his elbow on Ushijima's shoulder and resting his chin on his hand so he could look down at his lover. 

"The main difference is that in this version, the Fairy King created the Courts and divided his power among the first four Lords because he wanted to test them to see who would be a worthy successor," Ushijima replied. "The intent was for the Lord to compete against each other politically and physically until one was clearly the strongest and best-suited to rule, and would become the next Fairy King."

"If all of the Lords believe this version, it would explain why the Winter Lord Washijou seems so intent on picking a fight with the Autumn Court," Suga mused. 

"I think this version has a point," Ushijima said. "That's why I wanted your opinion on it. I think the separation of the Courts just leads to conflict. If all of the fae were united under one Fairy King, there would be fewer problems." Suga frowned thoughtfully.

"But the Courts give everyone a sense of belonging, and a choice in their lives," Suga pointed out. "The system might not be perfect, but conflict isn't always bad. There are conflicts all the time within the Spring Court, but we sort it out. Even with one Fairy King, there would still be different factions."

"Unless the king was strong enough to make sure everyone cooperated," Ushijima countered. 

"But then individual fae would have no free will," Suga replied. 

"What if that's the cost of peace?" Ushijima asked quietly. Suga frowned. 

"I don't think that would really count as peace," he mused. "Peace is people getting along with each other. If there's no free will, there's no real cooperation, just tyranny. And that wouldn't be right. We just need to promote peace and cooperation within our own Courts, and between Courts. Any conflicts can be handled easily enough." 

"You're right," Ushijima agreed after a moment. Suga wondered briefly if Ushijima was just agreeing so they wouldn't get into a long debate, but pushed that thought aside. 

As time passed, Suga found himself pushing the nagging feeling that Ushijima was leaning more and more toward his suggestion that peace could only be achieved when everyone was living under one ruler, with any conflicts immediately punished. 

The Winter Lord, Washijou, died suddenly, unexpectedly, and left Ushijima as the new Winter Lord, and Suga pushed away the thought that Washijou's death was suspicious. After all, the old lord might have been antagonistic toward other Courts, but there was no sign that any of the other Courts wanted him dead. So a suspicious death would mean someone within Winter wanted a regime change, and the only person who seemed to benefit was Ushijima. 

Soon after that, the most promising young fae started almost universally joining Winter, even the ones who had been eager for places in other Courts. The Winter Court closed itself off, and Suga began to worry about Ushijima. Was he all right? Were things not going well in his Court? Ushijima refused to meet with Suga in an official capacity, and wouldn't talk about his Court when he visited him. Then Suga became second in command of Spring, and he couldn't believe what he was hearing when he was allowed to sit in on the reports from other Courts. 

When the reports started to come in that life in the Winter Court wasn't good, that anyone who spoke out against Ushijima was forcibly silenced, that Ushijima was strongarming young fae into joining, Suga didn't want to believe it. His Wakatoshi, who had wanted peace, couldn't possibly be the same person as the ruthless Lord Ushijima. 

Suga tried to reach out, tried to find out what had happened to change him so drastically. Ushijima didn't want to talk about it, saying that it was Winter Court business. Suga's suspicions mounted every time he remembered the look in Ushijima's eyes when he talked about free will being the cost of peace.

Finally, Suga managed to corner him after a meeting between all four lords.

"Wakatoshi," Suga began, "You're not...actually..."

"Trying to become Fairy King and unite the Courts?" Ushijima guessed. Suga nodded. "I am. I know the reports coming out of Winter aren't good right now, but things are changing, and when I'm done, everything will be better." Suga stared at him in horror. "You should join me, Suga. I've missed you so much."

"Why didn't you come see me? Or respond when I tried to contact you?" Suga demanded. Ushijima just shrugged.

"I know your view on the best path to peace is different from mine. I wanted to make progress with my goal before you found out and tried to change my mind," he explained, smiling gently and taking Suga's hand in his own. "I know you don't like the methods I'm using, but once everything settles, you'll see. And then you'll join me, and Autumn and Summer will fall in line. I'll become the new Fairy King, and you'll be at my side. We'll ensure everyone has the peaceful life they deserve." Suga shook his head and stepped back, pulling his hand away from Ushijima's.

"I can't," Suga said. "If even half of the rumors coming out of the Winter Court are true, I can't support when you're doing. Wakatoshi...just stop this. Be the kind,  _good_ ruler I know you are at heart. Please. We'll work toward peace together, without hurting anyone." Ushijima shook his head.

"You'll come around," he insisted. "You'll understand one day." Suga shook his head. 

"No, I won't. I don't want any part of this. And while I can't do anything about what you're doing to your own people, I will  _not_ let the same thing happen to my Court. Come to your senses, Wakatoshi. Don't make me stop you." With that, Suga turned on his heel and stormed away. 

Two years later, Oikawa was forced to join the Winter Court. 


End file.
